Friday, February 5, 2016

moe. hit the Front Range like a freight train blasting through a sleepy mountain town on a Sunday. They took no prisoners on their two-night, sold-out romp that bounced from the Boulder Theater to The Ogden. moe. is like the reliable Buick that just runs… and runs well I might add. I ran into a kid who had been sequestered with Widespread Panic for some time and he said, “Wow these guys are amazing, I shouldn’t have waited so long to see them again.” My response was a simple and knowing nod. Seriously, considering the mileage I’d say you should buy this Buick before someone else does.

Boulder Theater
Boulder, CO

I was escorting my beautiful and ever-understanding 8 ½ month pregnant wife to both shows. We arrived at the Boulder Theater to find out that they had no accommodations for such a condition so I found her a spot up top. (I’m exaggerating a little we met at a moe. show, so it’s not like she was missing it.) It was her 90th show and my 65th not to mention it was my birthday, so it seemed the stars had aligned for a show of epic proportions.

We found a fellow Summer Camper in our row and took the opportunity to snap a pic for the #SpotAScamper contest just before the lights dimmed. They opened with an early and effective “Plane Crash.”

A “Plane Crash” opener is essentially flipping the bird to conventionality. “Little Miss Cup Half Empty” has become a first set standard since the release of No Guts, No Glory. moe. took the opportunity to play a few newer tunes with the Chuck-led rocker “Annihilation Blues,” and the brooding “Calyphornya.” The room went nuts over “Opium”… wait that didn’t sound right. The boys from Buffalo segued beautifully into the bluesy “lylelovit.” “Canned Pastries” was a jazzy instrumental that featured some sick work on the vibes from Mr. Loughlin. This blast from the past was originally performed back in the days of the Wetlands Preserve only to be resurrected a couple years back at moe. down.

The second set was classically massive focusing on fan favorites and deep jams. Rob took the mic on the shred-heavy “Same Old Story” before the sweet sounds of the wah bounced off walls signaling the beginning of “Big World.” “Ricky Marten” featured some incredible back and forth between Chuck and Al before they came splashing down in a perfectly timed “Water.” “Hi & Lo” gave everyone a chance to catch their breath. The massive “Moth” lasted over 22 minutes and was only surpassed by the 28-minute “Timmy Tucker” that immediately followed. For 50 minutes moe. played two songs. Just let that simmer with you for a minute… Everyone picked their respective jaws off the floor before they returned for an impressive encore.

Just before they returned, our fellow Summer Camper who we had sat by for the entire show leans over and says, “I’m thinking some Hendrix.” I smiled thinking, that would be nice, however unlikely. After a very nice Al.nouncement they went a tight “Tailspin” before they reset and Chuck plucked out the opening chords of Hendrix’s “Fire.” I looked to my right and pondered… “Is this guy Vinnie’s uncle or something?” It had been 220 shows since they last played it in 2013. This show was a scorcher and it was only the first night.

The Ogden Theatre
Denver, CO

The show started a bit earlier with the band taking the stage a few minutes after 8:30 PM, just as we walked through the door. I looked at my still-pregnant wife and told her, “I have to go.” Luckily she was in the capable hands of our friend Liz and a very attentive security guard who escorted my wife to the handicap section, chair in hand. That was a nice touch Ogden. Meanwhile, I raced down to the photo pit to shoot the first fifteen minutes. The room was soaked in an iridescent orange light as moe. ripped through a scorching “Queen of Everything.”

This was another rock solid show for the Colorado crowd. They wasted absolutely no time by steering the ship into a ridiculous 26-minute “Meat.” Most bands save that type of shenanigans for the second set, not this band. The jam was dark and intense featuring Jim’s percussion front and center. The shred-fest continued with a classic “It” before they gave us a debut from Summer Camp 2012, “White Lightening Turpentine.” Suddenly the room was awash in red, white, and blue lights as moe. blasted off on “Captain America.” The room was electric at this point. Even the normally chatty Denver crowd seemed more locked in than usual. They ended the first set with a sweet “Silver Sun.”

After a standard set break, they jumped back into the abyss with a huge “Faker.” Then without warning, like a nonchalant dinner guest stealing your fine silver, the boys fell into a steady groove and Jim emerged from behind his massive cadre of percussion gear. He slipped into House of Pain’s “Jump Around.” The audience responded with the appropriate amount of hopping. “Jazz Wank” was a solid bridge to an explosive “Spine Of A Dog.” The massive singalong settled the crowd before moe. presented me with a belated birthday gift in the form of a “Buster.” Mr. Schnier took lead on a solid “The Road.” They returned to their Halloween theme with a mesmerizing rendition of the “Star Wars Overture.” They closed with an energetic “32 Things.”

moe. returned with a true bust-out “Salt Creek,” which had not been performed in 388 shows. They ended the run the only way that made sense, “Bearsong.” The two-night experience featured a flawless execution from the stalwart jam veterans.